What does this contemporary political cartoon say about conditions in France under the Old Regime?

The French RevolutionLong-Term Causes

Main Causes of the French Revolution

• Inequalities in the economy and society– Burdens on Third Estate

• Ideas of Enlightenment writers– Think of middle class leadership.

• Poor leadership of the King and Queen – What decisions led them to be unpopular?

What the King Did

Appointed the Intendants, the “petty tyrants” who governed

France’s 30 districts

Appointed the people who would collect his taxes and carry out his

laws

Controlled justice by appointing judges

Controlled the military

Could imprison anyone at any time for any

reason (blank warrants of arrest were called

lettres de cachet)

Levied all taxes and decided how to spend

the money

Made all lawsMade decisions

regarding war and peace

Economic Conditions under theOld Regime

• France’s economy was based primarily on agriculture

• Peasant farmers of France bore the burden of taxation

• Poor harvests meant that peasants had trouble paying their regular taxes– Certainly could not afford to have their taxes

raised• Bourgeoisie often managed to gather

wealth– But were upset that they paid taxes while

nobles did not

France Is Bankrupt• The king (Louis XVI) lavished money on

himself and residences like Versailles• Queen Marie Antoinette was seen as a

wasteful spender• Government found its funds depleted as a

result of wars– Including the funding of the American

Revolution• Deficit spending – a government

spending more money than it takes in from tax revenues

• Privileged classes would not submit to being taxed

Philosophy of the French Revolution: The Enlightenment (Age of Reason)

• Scientists during the Renaissance had discovered laws that govern the natural world

• Intellectuals – philosophes – began to ask if natural laws might also apply to human beings– Particularly to human institutions such as

governments– Philosophes were secular in thinking – they used

reason and logic, rather than faith, religion, and superstition, to answer important questions

– Used reason and logic to determine how governments are formed• Tried to figure out what logical, rational principles work to

tie people to their governments– Questioned the divine right of kings